Apparatus for testing golf balls



oct. 2 0, 1936.

F.` E. YOUNG APPARATUS FOR TESTING GOLF BALLS Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 4, 1936.

l l L Oct. 20, 1936. P. E. YOUNG APPARATUS FOR TESTING GOLF BALLS l Filed May 4, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheety 2 l l in nmggegggggs lNvENTOR `ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 20, 1936 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICEk APPARATUS FOR TESTING GOLF BALLS Philip E. Young, Fairhaven, Mass., assignor to Acushnet Process Company, a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 4, v1936, Serial No.r 77,718

14 Claims.

This invention relates to golf ball testing apparatus which preferably has a plurality of rotatably mounted driving arms which are adapted to strike golf balls for purposes of comparison or demonstration.

The golf balls to be tested are ver is mounted so that it ro-tates with the feed arm for a portion of the rotation of the feed arm and deposits the golf ball on the feed arm after which the lever is returned to its original position ready for the next actuation. In this way the driving arms are simultaneously rotated continuously to simultaneously strike golf balls and sets of comparative tests may be made. My apparatus may be used to test golf clubs or the like instead of golf balls or the like. I may use an apparatus for testing golf balls or golf clubs of a greater number than two.

My apparatus may be driven by electricity or from the crankshaft of an engine of an automobile. The apparatus is of such size that it may be easily transported from place to place to give exhibitions of comparative tests and for this purpose may be mounted on a truck or on a trailer attached to a motor vehicle.

may be used Screens or guards on the sides of the apparatus to protect against accidents.

In the drawings:

Fig. l represents a front elevation of one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the device shown in Fig.

of arms top as at receive shaft I2 is preferably joined together at the I4 to form a support for bearings I6 to I8. As shown in the drawings the (Cl. 'I3-51) shaft I8 is reduced in diameter at 20 to form shoulders 22 which abut bearings I6 to hold the shaft in place but other means may be used. Mounted on the shaft I8 and secured thereto are driving arms 24 provided with striking heads 26 5 at one end and counterweights 28 at the other end. A pulley 30 is secured to the shaft I8 and is driven by belt 32 which runs over the drive pulley 34. Drive pulley 34 is secured to a shaft 36 which is connected with a flexible cable 38 10 which may be driven by an electric motor or other suitable means.

I may drive the cable 38 from the engine of an automobile or truck by connecting the cable 38 to the front of an automobile where the engine 15 is usually cranked or I may drive it by electricity. An idler pulley 42 is provided for tensioning belt -32 and thereby starting the rotation ofshaft I8 after pulley 34 isrotating. This pulley 42 is rol tatably vmounted on stub shaft 44 connected to vertical arm 46 which in turn is connected to one end of' horizontal arm 48. Arm 48 is mounted in bearings 52 and 54. Connected to the other end of arm 48 is an operating lever 5S having a spring pressed arm 58 for cooperation with a toothed segment 59 secured to one of the arms I2. The spring pressed arm 58 holds the lever in adjusted position. By moving the lever in one direction, the idler pulley may be brought to bear against belt 32 to start the rotation of shaft I8 and movement of the lever in the other direction permits stopping rotation of the shaft I8. The pulley 34'may be brought to any suitable speed by connecting cable 38 with a source of power and with the idler pulley 42 in inoperative position so that no power is transmitted to shaft IB by the belt. After such speed is attained then the idler pulley is moved gradually into operative position against belt 32 to cause tighten-I ing of the belt 32 on the pulleys and transmission of power'from drive pulley 34 to pulley 30. Rotation of pulley 30 causes rotation of shaft I8 and of the driving arms 24. The speedof rotation is preferably observed by a Speed indicator 60 connected to the shaft I8 by a flexible cable 6I. This indicator may be provided with any suitableindicia. Pulley 30 may beso made as to serve as a flywheel.

Cooperating withthe striking heads 26 on arms 24 are rotatable tee arms 62 whose speed is synchronized with the speed of the arms 24 so Athat the head 26 hits the ball on a tee arm in exactly the proper position of the rotating tee arm. In Fig. 4 at 63 Ihave shown the position of a ball as thearm moves through the striking position during its previous rotation, the ball moving from position 63 to striking position 64 while the driving arm makes one rotation. The dot and dash line 65 represents the plane of rotation of one of the arms 24. Each tee arm is banked as at 66 so that there is no tendency for the ball to leave the tee at the maximum speed at which the tee arm rotates until such a time as the driving arm knocks `-itfrom the itee. 'lIhesetee arms are driven from shaft i8 through a worm gearing and another shaft to be now described. Each tee arm 62 is secured to a vertical shaft 61 having its lower end rotatably mounted in a bottom-.bearing GBiand its upper end rotatably mounted in top bearing 'll suitably secured to the topof converging arms I2 of the frame. Securedto the upper 'end of each shaft Sl is a worm gear 14 which meshes with a worm 'I6 secured to each :endfof the Shaft I8. The ratio of the worm to the worm gear is 20 to 1 so that each driving arm rotates twenty times .to one rotation of each tee arm.

With :the driving -arms and tee arms rotating, it -is necessary to feed balls to =the1tee=arms 'and for this purpose I Ahave provided -a :feed arm for each-tee'arm- This feed-arm 19 .(see Figs-Zand 3) Ais loosely'mounted'onneccentric collar-Bfmountedon but not securedto vertical 'shaftiSL Collar f-issecured-to avbracket-8=| secured tofone'of'the vertical arms l2. Each feed arm 7&9 has a .claw 82 on -fthexouterf'end thereof on which the Tball to be ltested is rested. =Normally1each -feed arm iis held against stop 84 provided on :bracket .8J by spring 88.

Fior 'placing ya :ball .on :the vtee arm, 'the feed arm 'is rotated -for about aquarter lof :a turn and for `moving Ythe feed arm through fsuch :an are, a dog is secured ftofshaft Afl above the .feed arm. This dog 3is provided with Ea downwardly projecting farm :92 lwhich is adapted to :abut 1a portion of 'the .feed farm :and move -it through an arc iofiaicircle. .fIt will benoted the :feed arm .T9 .is Ymounted rat an =angle 7to `the -shaft 4on Ithe eccentric collar 88 :at .an angle -to ithe .shaft but around the same center 'so that fa'fter va partial rotation, fthe feed :arm moves wdown -away `from the dog and will slip iawayzfrom Ithefdownwardly projecting yarm 92. `The .feed "arm -is x,then free of 'the dog :and is returned '.to lits normal :position against .stop 84 by the l,spring :88. The dog 90 is so positioned yduring ithe actuation -of zthe feed arm that the 'feed arm .and the :tee :arm `will -be inalinement and will'belrotated'in unisonthrough an -arc ofia circle and during :this Yrotation the feed arm, due tto 'its :angular mounting, willigently place =or deposit fthe golf ball rfrom L-its .claw I onto the exactcenterloftheftee. After :such .deposition the ffeed arm .is v'released `by the arm fon ythe dog and slips runder the I'downwardlyprojecting arm 92 --of theidog 98and 'is returned .to its .original position 'by the spring l88.

rIlhe loperation of the apparatus :shown in ythe drawings -willnowbe described. With the =idler pulley 'T42 .in :inoperative yposition :the .flexible cable 3'8 is fconn'ecte'd with alsource of :power sucha's an'a'utomobile engine orian.electricmotoritocause rotation -of pulley '34. W/'hen the speed :of the pulley 3"4 is relatively low, lthe idler pulley 4'2 .is gradually brought into position-against the fbelt 3`2 tocause rotation of vpulley 30 :anda driving arms 24. 'Rotation ofthe `shaft fw .causes flotation of the worms '116 which mesh with worm vvgears mi to cause rotation-of verticalrshaftsa'l. Thefshafts 61 rotate at about `1/20th thelspeed Tof the :rotation of thedriving arms. the dogs .90 being secured ito the shafts fil-:l are The 'tee :arms x62 and.

ly using one make of ball on one side of' the 'deviceiand'anothermake of ball on thenother side of the device, or only one side of the device may lbe used. A device having only one driving arm maybe used. While the parts of the apparatus are moving, 'the selected golf balls are placed in inthe1claws 82 of ithe feed arms '19. As the shafts 61 rotate, the tee arms 62 and dogs 98 will also be 'rotated and as the dogs 98 rotate they carry the arms .'19 with them and the feed arms -are moved inthe arc of a circle for about a quarter of la turn. 'During this movement -Ieach -feed arm 19 and tee arm 62 are substantially in'vertical alinement so that the ,golf ball is placed or deposited from the-feed arm on the tee arm duringfthis rotation. Each vfeed -arm 'I8 is loosely mounted-on theeccentric `collar 88 -on shaft 67 so that as the feed arm `is moved inthe arc of a vcircle its angularity is changed and :it moves down and slips away .underneath the arm 92 on the dog 90. This release of .thefeed arm 'I9 is brought about after the -golf lball is Aproperly .placed -on the tee arm. .After its release the 4feed arm is 'returned to its original position by spring '88.

I will `now give la specific example of the operation lof fa device Imade according to the .inf vention vas shown 'in the drawings, but I am not to fbe frestricted thereto. The speed -at -which I operated thisdevice v-was about-650 R. P. M. -of thedrlvingarmsfandat this speed Ihave knocked golf balls 450 yards carry. `At this rate there were golfwballsiperininute knocked from each side fof zthe apparatus 'or device ywhich means that `afgolf ball was knocked -into the air `every three seconds, and several golf balls were in thexairat 4thefsameftirne from both sides of `the machine. As'one-formof speed vindicator I may use :an .ordinary automobile Aspeedometer -which is connected yto the end of shaft |.8 and -this speedometer .can be vcalibrated to indicate the number -of revolutions per minute.

,It :is to be understood that the foregoingembodiments fare -given only by =way of illustration and that the same may tbe modified in many particulars without departing from the spirit 'of my Y=invention.

What I claim is:

1. A device vof the character described, including, in combination, supporting fmeans, a plurality of .driving arms :rotatably rmounted thereon for simultaneous movement, means for rotating `'said arms and including :vertical 'rotatable shafts, rotatable tee arms secured to each'rofsaidfshaftsand'adapted to hold golf balls to bestruck by said driving arms, the rotation of said xt'ee -arm's =and said driving arms -being synchronized, and means for gplacing golf balls on'saidteefarmswhilesaid tee arms-are rotating.

.2. A :device lof the character described, including, :in fcombination, ya supporting means, 'a driving varm frotatably mounted thereon, means for rotating `said arm' including la -vertical rotatable shaft, a rotatable itee Yarm secured -to said .shaft 'and adapted .to hold a ,golf iball to be struck by said driving arm, and means for placing a golf ball on said tee arm While said tee arm is rotating, said placing means including a feed arm mounted on said shaft for oscillation.

3. A device of the character described, including, in combination, supporting means, driving arms rotatably mounted thereon for simultaneous movement, means for rotating said arms and including vertical rotatable shafts, rotatable tee arms secured to said shafts and adapted to hold golf balls, and means for placing golf balls on said tee arms While said tee arms are rotating, said placing means including feed arms mounted on said shafts for oscillation and dogs secured to said shafts for actuating said feed arms to move said arms for a distance to deposit golf balls on said tee arms while said tee arms are rotating.

4. A device of the character described, including, in combination, supporting means, a plurality of driving arms rotatably mounted thereon for simultaneous movement, means for rotating said arms and including vertical rotatable shafts, rotatable tee arms secured to said shafts and adapted to hold golf balls to be struck by said driving arms simultaneously for comparison, the rotations of said tee arms and said driving arms being synchronized, and means for placing golf balls on said tee arms while said tee arms are rotating, said placing means including feed arms mounted on said shafts for oscillation in a plane at an angle to the horizontal, and dogs secured to said shafts for actuating and moving said feed arms for a distance to deposit golf balls on said tee arms while said tee arms are rotating, said feed arms being mounted to rotate at an angle to the horizontal so that said dogs release said feed arms after a predetermined amount of oscillation and after the golf balls are deposited on said tee arms.

5. A device of the character described, including, in combination, supporting means, a plurality of driving arms rotatably mounted thereon for simultaneous movement, means for rotating said arms and including vertical rotatable shafts, rotatable tee arms secured to said shafts and adapted tohold golf balls to be struck by said driving arms simultaneously for comparison, the rotations of said tee arms and said driving arms being synchronized, and means for placing golf balls on said tee arms while said te e arms are rotating, said placing means including eccentric collars mounted on said vertical shafts but held from rotation, feed arms mounted on said eccentric collars for oscillation in a plane at an angle to the horizontal, said feed arms having claws at their ends for receiving golf balls, dogs secured to said vertical shafts for actuating and moving said feed arms a distance to deposit golf balls on said tee arms and then for releasing said feed arms after a predetermined amount of oscillation and after the golf balls are deposited on said tee arms.

6. A device of the character described, including, in combination, supporting means, a plurality of driving arms rotatably mounted thereon for simultaneous movement, means for rotating said arms and including vertical rotatable shafts, rotatable tee arms secured to said shafts and adapted to hold golf balls to be struck by said driving arms simultaneously for comparison, the rotations of said tee arms and said driving arms being synchronized, and means for placing golf balls on said tee arms while said tee arms are rotating, said placingmeans including eccentric collars mounted on said vertical shafts but held from rotation, feed arms mounted on said eccentric collars for oscillation in a plane at an angle to the horizontal, said feed arms having claws at their ends for receiving golf balls, dogs secured to said vertical shafts for actuating and moving said feed arms a distance to deposit golf balls on said tee arms and then for releasing said feed'arms after a predetermined amount of oscillation and after the golf balls are deposited on said tee arms and spring means for returning said feed arms to their original positions for the next actuation.

7. A device of the character described, including, in combination, supporting means, a plurality of driving arms rotatably mounted thereon for simultaneous movement, means for rotating said arms and including vertical rotatable shafts, rotatable tee arms secured to said shafts and adapted to hold golf balls to be struck by said driving arms simultaneously for comparison, the rotations of said tee arms andsaid driving arms being synchronized and means for placing golf balls on said tee arms while said tee arms are rotating, said placing means including eccentric collars mounted on said vertical shafts but held from rotation, feed arms mounted on said eccentric collars for oscillation in a plane at an angle to the horizontal, said feed arms having Claws at their ends for receiving golf balls, dogs A secured to said Vertical shafts for actuating and moving said feed arms a distance to deposit golf balls on said tee arms and then for releasing said feed arms after a predetermined amount of oscillation and after the golf balls are vdeposited on.

said tee arms, the tee on said tee arms being banked to prevent the deposited golf ball from being thrown from said tee arm before it is struck by one of said driving arms.

8. A device of the character described, including in combination, supporting means, a driving arm rotatably mounted thereon, means for rotating said arm, a rotatable tee arm adapted to hold a golf ball, and means for placing a golf ball on said tee arm While said tee arm is rotating, said means including a feed arm mounted to oscillate and to move with said tee arm for a distance to deposit a golf ball on said tee arm and then to return to position for the next oscillation.

9. A device of the character described, including, in combination, supporting means, a driving arm rotatably mounted thereon, means for rotating said arm, a rotatable vertical shaft associated with said driving arm, a rotatable tee arm secured to said vertical shaft and adapted to hold a golf ball, and means for placing the golf ball on said tee arm while said tee arm is rotating, said means including an eccentric collar held from rotation and a feed arm mounted at an angle on said collar for oscillation and for movement with said tee arm for a distance to move down and deposit a golf ball thereon.

10. A device of the character described, including, in combination, suporting means, a driving arm rotatably mounted thereon, means for rotating said arm, a rotatable vertical shaft associated with said driving arm, a rotatable tee arm secured to said vertical shaft and adapted to hold a golf ball, and means for placing the golf ball on said tee arm while said tee arm is rotating, said means including an eccentric collar held from rotation, a feed arm mounted at an angle on said collar for oscillation, said feed arm having a ball-receiving claw, a. dog secured to said vertical shaft for moving said feed arm with said tee armzf'or a distance so as to deposit a golf ball on said tee. arm, said feed arm due to its eccentricmounting moving awayfrom said dog to be released. after the golf ball is deposited.

l1. A device of the character described, including, in combination, supporting means, a driving arm; rotatably mounted thereon, means for rotating said arm, a rotatable vertical shaft associated with. said driving arm, a rotatable tee arm secured to. said vertical shaft and adapted to hold a golf ball, and means for placing a golf ball on said tee arm while said tee arm is rotating, said means including an eccentric collar held from rotation, a feed arm mounted at an angle on said collar for oscillation, said feed arm having a ball-receiving claw, a dog secured to said vertical shaft for moving said feed arm with saidlA tee arm for a distance so as to deposit a golf ball4 on said tee arm, said feed arm due to its eccentric mounting moving away from said dog to be released after the golf ball is deposited, and means for returning said feed arm to its original position where a golf ball to be tested is placed in the claw thereof.

1'2.A A device of the character described, including, in combination, supporting means, a driving arm rotatably mounted thereon, a shaft for rotating said driving arm, a Vertical rotating shaft, a rotatable tee arm secured to said vertical shaft and adapted to hold a golf bail, gears between said shafts for rotating said driving arm and said tee arm in synchronism 35 whereby saidV driving arm is rotated an even numberofv timesvfor each rotation of said tee arm and saidi tee arm is in correct position when said driving arm: isinv striking position.

.13. A device of the character described, including, in combination, supporting means, a driving arm rotatably mounted thereon, a shaft for rotating said driving arm, a vertical rotatable shaft, av rotatable tee arm secured t said vertical shaft and adapted to hold a golf ball, gears between said shafts for rotating said driving arm and saidv tee arm in synchronism whereby said driving. arm is rotated an even number of times for each rotation of said tee arm and said tee arm is incorrect position when said driving arm is in striking position and means for placing or depositingr a golf ball on said tee arm while said teev arm is rotating.

14. A device-ofthe character described, including, in combination, supporting means, a driving arm rotatably mounted thereon, a shaft for rotating said driving arm, a vertical rotatable shaft, a rotatable tee arm secured to said vertical: shaft and adapted to hold a golf ball, gears between. said shafts for rotating said driving arm andl saidtee armv in synchronism whereby said drivingv arm is rotated an even number of times for each rotationv of said tee'arm and Said tee arm is in correct position when said driving arm is in striking position. and means for placing or depositing a golf ball on said tee arm while said tee arm is rotating, said last mentioned means includingl a feed arm mounted for oscillation in a plane at an angle to the horizontal.

PHILIP E. YOUNG. 

